Cheryl Kautz | Portfolio | Bb Exemplary Course Awards

six Exemplary Course Awards (ecp)

Recognized by peers for developing technology-rich, engaging and pedagogically sound courses.

The ECP program honors members of the community who design and develop exciting and innovative courses that represent the very best in technology and learning. Courses are reviewed by peers from around the world using the Blackboard ECP rubric.

BbWorld 2018 / 2019
Austin, TX

Winner of a Blackboard Catalyst Award for Exemplary Course Program (ECP): GVSU's CIS231 Problem Solving Using Spreadsheets fully online course. Read a few of the reviewers' comments:

BbWorld 2017
New Orleans, LA

Winner of a Blackboard Catalyst Award for Exemplary Course Program (ECP): GVSU's CIS238 Internet Media and Programming fully online course (see course video tour). The awards event was held in New Orleans, LA, but I did not attend. Read a few of the reviewers' comments:

The instructor has made strong efforts to create a non-intimidating, interactive and inclusive learning environment. It is evident that this mission has been fulfilled.
Outstanding use of technology – discussion boards, blogs, rubrics, quizzes, etc. and they are implemented to facilitate learning by engaging students with course content.
Your weekly objectives are excellent, discrete, specific, and measurable. They are well developed instructional objectives.
Each weekly unit provides multiple types of assessments and therefore allow students to demonstrate what they know in different ways while also providing multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate and track their learning, matching the weekly objectives.
The use of Trello and Lucid Chart are brilliant! These useful planning tools allow students to learn synchronously in a fun manner.
It is evident how much effort has been placed to ensure that students can follow the course. It is a fantastic course. I had to dig deeply in some areas to provide constructive feedback for a course so well constructed.
The project promotes collaboration…provides students with project management experience that can be applied to the real-world.
The Virtual Office forum creates an inviting and warm learning environment for asynchronous interaction…the instructor displays a high degree of approachability and flexibility.
Supportive mechanisms allow learners with disabilities to participate fully in the online community.
The tasks and assignments with their 35 rubrics are well described, and the class schedule provides students with checkboxes to ensure they are not skipping a task or assignment.
The delivery media considers diverse learning styles.
The instructor has successfully taken necessary steps to decrease students’ levels of anxiety and discouragement by placing all support resources in one area.
She offers a plethora of communication tools, thus ensuring that students are instantly able to contact her and interact with each other.
Offers lectures in a written PDF and video to accommodate all students.
She offers a wide array for methods of communication…face-to-face, Skype, Google Voice, email, Bb IM, virtual office, scan-able QR code, automated alerts…
The content is well presented, looks clean, actually fantastic.
The Weekly Learning Units are clear and provide a consistent structure: To Do lists, lecture (video and pdf), assignment, quiz, discuss, Learn More. Sometimes even provides a heads up for next week’s lessons.
The large amount of optional resources can engage many.
There is a wide variety of delivery media throughout the course.
The team website project environment does allow students an opportunity to build a sense of community as well as the weekly discussion forums and blogs.

BbWorld 2015 / 2016
Las Vegas, nv

Winner of a Blackboard Catalyst Award for Exemplary Course Program (ECP): GVSU's CIS238 Internet Media and Programming face-to-face course. Read a few of the reviewers' comments:

This is the best course I have ever seen. I am reconsidering how I design courses as a result of reviewing this course. The instructor nailed every single element.
Instructor has taken great measures to ensure accessibility for all students. Pictures formatted for screen reader optimization, multiple ways to reach the professor, instructions and materials placed where needed (to avoid overwhelming students), navigation is simple and intuitive, and students are provided resources for academic help, technical help and disability accommodations.
Assessments are authentic and there are multiple types of assessments. I am especially impressed with the Learn More section in each week that provides students the extra practice (should they be struggling) as well as the opportunity to go beyond the learning outcomes. Whether a student begins this class as a novice, or someone has background in the content, the course is full of learning opportunities.
The learner support is phenomenal in this course, especially the instructor to student communication. There is no reason for a student to fail this course. The instructor’s online presence is welcoming and nurturing as she invites students to reach out to her if needed. There are a variety of ways to contact her online and her response to questions is nearly always immediate. With the use of rubrics, the instructor provides meaningful feedback on every single assignment. This is on top of meeting with the class face-to-face three hours a week and offering face-to-face office hours.
Content and instruction in this course is carefully planned out to help screen readers and content types are accessible and consistent.
I really like the use of project based assessments throughout the variety of assessments, quizzes, peer critique and final projects. Discussion is encouraged to.
Student to student and student to instructor communication is powerful within the course. Peer discussions are encouraged throughout.
Your openness to students is very evident and this seems to lead to great participation and communication. As a person with a background in web design and Photoshop, I can see how the project based assessments will help with transferring students to working within the industry.
Accommodations for disabilities are evident throughout this entire course. Transcripts are offered where applicable too.
The clearly defined rubrics made it easy to understand what was expected of the student in order to successfully complete and pass the course. The addition of a discussion board protocol defined expectations for the student responses as well.
The attention to accessibility issues are to be commended.

BbWorld 2013
Las Vegas, NV

Winner of two Blackboard Catalyst Awards for Exemplary Course Program: (1) GRCC's CO152 face-to-face Photoshop course and (2) MCC's BUS180C hybrid Word course. The CO152 Photoshop course is also Directors' Choice for Courses with Distinction (going above and beyond rubric requirements).

Read articles: GRCC Today, GRCC press release, and Holland Sentinel
Read the Blackboard course reviews from faculty around the country
Watch the ECP-Learner Support webinar with Christie Smith, Bb ECP director, and Cheryl Kautz
GRCC BbWorld Conference Blog
Created Accessible Course Content poster for poster session (1.48MB PDF file)
The 30" x 40" poster was originally designed for print. After downloading the pdf file, you will need to zoom in to read.
2013 Exemplary Course Award - Directors' Choice - an award for those that go above and beyond even the Catalyst Awards rubric requirements.
2013 Exemplary Course Award - Microsoft Word

Jay Bhatt, CEO & President of Bb

Received two awards; one each for MCC and GRCC.

With Bb CEO and President

GRCC was Directors' Choice for Courses with Distinction.

Cheryl Kautz with Ray Henderson, President of Academic Platforms at Bb

With Ray Henderson, Academic Platforms Bb

Received MCC award for Exemplary Course.

PowerPoint slide for Director's Choice for Coruses with Distinction

Slideshow at awards

Directors' choice is for courses that go above and beyond.

BbWorld 2012
New Orleans, LA

Winner of a Blackboard Catalyst Award for Exemplary Course Program: GRCC's CO252 online Advanced Photoshop course. Also presented on a panel "Beyond the Bells and Whistles - Exemplary Courses" and participated in an exhibit to demonstrate course in the Digital Content Booth.